| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Poll: Have you ever thought of giving up your career as a translator/interpreter? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
|
|---|
This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Have you ever thought of giving up your career as a translator/interpreter?".
This poll was originally submitted by Carla Lopes. View the poll results »
| | | | | I voted no, but | Jun 28, 2011 |
I mean not seriously, I love this job, I just get frustrated when I see how our profession is seen, it always sounds like a hobby... but when the time to pay taxes arrives, well it becomes a proper job, even some clients (or what seemed to be potential clients) sometimes treat you not as a professional
| | | | Carla Lopes 
Portugal
Local time: 20:27
Member (2008)
Spanish to Portuguese
+ ...
| I know what you feel... | Jun 28, 2011 |
but I bet your heart always wins and you will never quit the job... Sometimes I think about it also, and if you compare it with other jobs, you come to the conclusion that every job has its negative side and the advantages you have as a translator are worth the hassles we face.
| | | | John Cutler
Spain
Local time: 21:27
Spanish to English
+ ...
| Have and will if... | Jun 28, 2011 |
They say the average person changes careers between 4 and 7 times in life. Translating is actually about number 4 for me. I guess that means I have the possibility of changing up to 3 more times.
I'm not planning on jumping into anything different right away, but if some great opportunity suddenly arose (I believe opportunity knocks many times in life), I'd certainly consider it.
For now, I'll stick with it as long as I'm happy and can make a living at it.
| | |
|
|
|
Amandine Added
United Kingdom
Local time: 20:27
Member (2010)
English to French
+ ...
Becoming a translator was already a change of career for me as I was a Notary clerk in France. And I must say I discovered a kind of liberty that would be hard to give up ! So clearly, no job is ever perfect but i love my job !
| | | | Elena Novski
Canada
Local time: 15:27
Russian to English
+ ...
| Just being curious... | Jun 28, 2011 |
... if you switch to something else, what kind of activities would you prefer?
| | | | Thayenga
Germany
Local time: 21:27
Member (2009)
English to German
+ ...
| Yes, and I have | Jun 28, 2011 |
In the 1990s and with the RIFP (Reduction in Force Program) having become effective, I dropped out of the translation business for a few years, but stayed in the bilingual environment while doing translations on a private basis only. During those years I began to persue my writing career.
But... once a translator, always a translator. So now I'm back - have been for a few years - and will stay in the business till it'll be time to "change worlds". ... See more In the 1990s and with the RIFP (Reduction in Force Program) having become effective, I dropped out of the translation business for a few years, but stayed in the bilingual environment while doing translations on a private basis only. During those years I began to persue my writing career.
But... once a translator, always a translator. So now I'm back - have been for a few years - and will stay in the business till it'll be time to "change worlds". ▲ Collapse
| | | | DZiW (X)
Ukraine
English to Russian
+ ...
I have never considered giving it up, yet I had to reconsider my approach for there's very limited demand for 'pure' translators/ interpreters, but rather *some specialist* and translator or interpreter. For instance, a nuclear engineer with fluent English (an engineer-interpreter), a safety expert with strong written English (an expert-translator), a therapist with good command of English (a doctor-translator/interpreter) and so on. The Lesson is learned)
IMO 'pure' translators are... See more I have never considered giving it up, yet I had to reconsider my approach for there's very limited demand for 'pure' translators/ interpreters, but rather *some specialist* and translator or interpreter. For instance, a nuclear engineer with fluent English (an engineer-interpreter), a safety expert with strong written English (an expert-translator), a therapist with good command of English (a doctor-translator/interpreter) and so on. The Lesson is learned)
IMO 'pure' translators are rather common and thus rather useless. ▲ Collapse
| | |
|
|
|
oxygen4u
Portugal
Local time: 20:27
English to Portuguese
+ ...
It would be like asking me if I ever considered not being myself.
NO! NO! NO!
Ps - Not that my family understands my option...
| | | | Williamson
United Kingdom
Local time: 20:27
Flemish to English
+ ...
| Other activities. | Jun 28, 2011 |
Elena Novski wrote:
... if you switch to something else, what kind of activities would you prefer?
Freelance programming on a contract basis at a major bank paid at 500 euros per day every business-day of the month. Such contracts are usually renewed for a period of a year.
[Edited at 2011-06-28 15:48 GMT]
| | | | Rebecca Garber
Local time: 15:27
Member (2005)
German to English
+ ...
| translation is career number 3 | Jun 28, 2011 |
I taught German at various levels prior to becoming a translator.
Should a teaching position open up at a level in which I am truly interested, then I would go back to teaching in a heartbeat.
| | | |
I replied other, because even though I love translating and I do not want to stop doing it, I combine this job with other activities, because my income as freelance translator is not enough. I work in catalogue sales, mystery shopper, etc.
| | |
|
|
|
I am in this business for a while and I am not very happy with the result. It is difficult to find clients, particularly in the beginning. I have clients that keep coming back with work, but the work is not regular and not enough. I am doing my best marketing, blogging, socializing etc. and I may say I see some progress, but I am not sure how long I can wait until I am happy with this business.
I love this job, I like doing it, I am good at it, I deliver quality and satisfy my clie... See more I am in this business for a while and I am not very happy with the result. It is difficult to find clients, particularly in the beginning. I have clients that keep coming back with work, but the work is not regular and not enough. I am doing my best marketing, blogging, socializing etc. and I may say I see some progress, but I am not sure how long I can wait until I am happy with this business.
I love this job, I like doing it, I am good at it, I deliver quality and satisfy my clients, but this is not enough. I need more work. I don´t know what I am doing wrong.
If things continue like this, I will try to have a career change. Not sure what though... ▲ Collapse
| | | |
...usually at this time of year when the tax bill arrives and I, yet again, realise how little of my hard earned money I get to keep. But that's the wonderful Italian system helping the self-employed again.....hrumph...
| | | | | This is my "something" | Jun 28, 2011 |
Elena Novski wrote:
... if you switch to something else, what kind of activities would you prefer?
Writing, reading, and researching, namely reading for writing, then researching for writing, then writing, then start another cycle of reading and researching and writing ....... Perpetual motion for noble activity called "writing: Nothing else
Well translation may belong to the arts of writing, but then it is not my creation!
[Edited at 2011-06-28 19:08 GMT]
[Edited at 2011-06-28 19:09 GMT]
| | | | | Pages in topic: [1 2] > | To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator: You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request » Poll: Have you ever thought of giving up your career as a translator/interpreter? | Wordfast Pro | Translation Memory Software for Any Platform
Exclusive discount for ProZ.com users!
Save over 13% when purchasing Wordfast Pro through ProZ.com. Wordfast is the world's #1 provider of platform-independent Translation Memory software. Consistently ranked the most user-friendly and highest value
Buy now! » |
| | Trados Business Manager Lite | Create customer quotes and invoices from within Trados Studio
Trados Business Manager Lite helps to simplify and speed up some of the daily tasks, such as invoicing and reporting, associated with running your freelance translation business.
More info » |
|
| | | | X Sign in to your ProZ.com account... | | | | | |
Login to reply/comment 
